Autumn 2006 among the five coolest to date in 104 years

This year’s meteorological autumn season is proving unusually cool. In the 104 years since 1902, only four other Sept. 1 through Oct. 18 periods have been chillier than this year’s 55.9°—the most recent in 1993. The clues have been all around us, from the earliest measurable snowfall just under a week ago at Midway and O’Hare to the estimated doubling in the use of home heating which has occurred in the past 7 weeks. What’s more, breaks from the chill have been few and far between. The area has hosted 21% fewer days with temperatures 70° or warmer since Sep. 1 and October alone is running 6.7° behind the same period a year ago—54.1° versus 60.8°.
Frequent rainfall and reduced sunshine have contributed to the chill. Midway Airport’s 1.26” of rain Monday/Monday night boosted its October precipitation to 5.75”—more than twice the normal and the 5th wettest for the month since records began at the South Side site in 1928.
-Tom Skilling WGNTV Meteorologist